Teaching Magic
by Soraya the All Speaker
Summary: After leaving Chammur, Evvy, Briar and Rosethorn are on their way east, when they encounter an interesting rockslide, and an even more interesting mage. How does Rosethorn know him, and who is he? * * * COMPLETED * * * Now being revised and improved
1. Rock Magic

I wrote this fanfiction last summer, but recently I have decided I wasn't very happy with all of it. So I'm slowly going through and revising/adding more things to each chapter. It will be a slow process as I'm in college now and don't have alot of free time. But I'll leave a note on each chapter I've changed.

Chapter 1 - Finished 6-17-09, Revised/Updated 9-17-10

* * *

**Chapter 1: Rock Magic**

Chammur was a city full of stone – the cliffs were its main attraction and were known as "Old Chammur". But what caught the interest of most people was the part known as "New Chammur" which housed the 'royalty' and the markets, especially the one called the "Golden House". That market was the only one where magic items and trinkets were sold. And that is where Briar Moss found his first mage student Evumeimei Dingzai.

While she had progressed well during their time in Chammur, it was time to move on, and Briar had to continue their lessons while traveling. Both students and teachers were dirt caked from the wind and the dusty road. While Briar and his teacher Rosethorn possessed clothes made by Briar's step-sister Sandry from overcoats to leggings, and as such could just shake the dirt right off; Evvy's clothes had dirt ingrained in every thread from the long days of traveling. Even her headscarf had turned a dusty brown, over roughly cut black hair that was turning just as brown. The only things that weren't dirt caked were Evvy's cats, and the two mage kits of the teachers. Even the rocks had acquired a sheen of dust, but Evvy seemed intent on taking care of that by blowing them up.

_Crack!_ As rock shrapnel flew everywhere for the fifth time that morning, covering all in its vicinity, Briar ran a hand over his close cropped hair and sighed.

"Ok Evvy, try again; remember, control how much power you put into that stone."

"I _know_, _Pahan_ Briar, but it's so _hard_," Evvy complained, squinting at the remains of yet another clear quartz crystal, her nose wrinkled at the rock defying her. Quartz was oh-so-good for light spells, but she just kept exploding them.

"I know you can do it, girl, you just have no concentration now." Rosethorn glared at Evvy. Evvy glared right back, not liking being on the wrong side of Rosethorn's sharp tongue yet again. Bad enough that all the dead or dying plant life was making Rosethorn irritable enough without Evvy adding to her temper. One of the few true joys of their travels were her cats, and she was worried about Asa's new kittens. It had been ages since they had passed a town, and food was getting a little scarcer, what with all the plant life dying. It took too much energy for Briar and Rosethorn to restore the vegetation to vibrant life, and very little of that vegetation was fit for human consumption. So instead, the three travelers were living off plants that Briar and Rosethorn had previously prepared – seeds coated in one of Rosethorn's growth mixtures for easy stimulus into a fully grown plant, with little to no energy expenditure. However, cats could not survive on plants like humans could, no matter how much of the mage grown food Evvy was willing to give up for them. The only plant the cats were really interested in was catnip.

"Well, we better find a town soon then, 'cause I like my rocks too much to keep blowing them up!" Evvy retorted. The three travelers were camped on the side of a winding path through what could be described as no-man's land between Yanjing and Chammur. Everything was covered in dust; even the tents were a brown color that blended in with the ground. A few lean-tos existed for the camels to shield them from the wind that was prone to whip over the ground, blowing hair into disarray and plucking at clothes. Briar had to constantly watch his overcoat to make sure it didn't fly off the rock where he had hung it due to the heat. They hadn't passed a town in three weeks, but Rosethorn said they would find one soon so they could refill their water.

"Yeah, and I would rather keep moving than keep stopping to find you more," said Briar. Evvy crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him.

"I think it's time to move on, exploding rock lessons can wait for another time," stated Rosethorn. "Time doesn't wait for us you know, and I _want_ to get a little farther before it gets too dark." Both she and Briar were impatient to get to Yanjing to see the famed miniature trees and gardens of the country as they were the main reason for their trip to begin with. Briar himself was rather good at shaping miniature trees, and had been his main source of income in Chammur; he was looking forward to comparing his skill to that of some of the most famous miniature tree gardeners in all of the world.

"But if I could make the rocks light up, we wouldn't have to stop at night!" Evvy pleaded with Rosethorn. "I don't get it, I could do it before." She added petulantly. Back in her cave, she had made light stones just by – she didn't know how. But she had wanted them, and they had been made. Just like her heat stones, and how she could press them into her cave wall.

"That was before you had a grip on your power, or even knew you had it. Sometimes magic works for us unconsciously where it takes time to master it consciously," Rosethorn explained, turning back from where she had been fastening her bed roll onto her camel. "That's how most young mages are discovered." She continued packing her things, making sure her mage kit was in easy reach. Briar did the same, and Evvy began to coerce her cats into their travel baskets in preparation to put their baskets on the camels.

"Yeah, like what happened with Sandry; she made her thread light up 'cause she was afraid of the dark," Briar joked.

"Or Daja and her survival box, Tris and her hail storm, and _you_ and that briar," Rosethorn teased. Evvy giggled at Briar's expression.

"Hey, it's not _my_ fault that briar liked me," Briar defended himself. He ran his fingers over the deep pockmarks in his hands. It had taken days for him to get the thorns out, and they had left deep scars in his hands. Before he could control his green magic all plants were attracted to him. He still couldn't completely prevent them from sensing his presence and moving towards him; it unnerved those who didn't know about or understand ambient magic. It was also a handy effect to scare those who he didn't like.

"My _point_ is that until you become aware of your magic, with ambient mages it affects the medium your power flows through in ways that might take years to master with practice," Rosethorn said crisply. "Now, we're wasting daylight, and I would rather move on now then spend more days traveling in the company of you two." With that, she began to more her camel out, leaving the other two behind.

This time both Briar and Evvy stuck their tongues out at Rosethorn, but did as she said and began to pack up.

* * *

As the sun grew higher in the sky, all three began to shed their outer layers. The nights mirrored those of the mountains, being very cold, but heated up fast during the day., To their right lay a cliff comprised of shale, a rock that cracks and cuts easily, and a long drop with a forest at the bottom on their left. No matter how far away the greenery, just the fact that Briar and Rosethorn could sense the plants made them feel better. While Briar always had his _shakkan_, he also loved the feeling of many different varieties of plants.

Briar noticed that Evvy had been quiet for a while, a very uncharacteristically Evvy thing to be. He had also noticed small flares of magic coming from her, but had decided not to say anything till now, hoping she wouldn't exhaust herself.

"Evvy, what are you doing?" he asked suspiciously. Evvy looked up, startled.

"What makes you think I'm doing anything, _Pahan_ Briar?" she asked innocently, while stuffing something out of sight under her leg.

"Evvy, what is it," Briar asked, exasperated, holding out his hand. Evvy reluctantly gave him the stone she had been practicing on. It hadn't cracked yet, and was emitting a dull glow.

"I was just practicing," Evvy mumbled, lowering her head and hiding behind her headscarf. "I almost got it last time."

"Evvy I told you, let me or Rosethorn know when you're using magic, you don't have a tight enough control yet," Briar scolded her. Inwardly he was proud of her for even slightly tightening her control on her magic. He knew from experience that it could take a long time to completely control magic.

Rosethorn watched the little argument with an amused smile.

"You're beginning to sound like an adult, boy," she commented, reaching over to ruffle his hair.

"Aw, Rosethorn, I'm not _that_ bad," Briar complained batting her hand away. He never let on that he enjoyed her shows of affection, rare enough that they were, on principle. She knew he appreciated her as much as she did him no matter how he acted. It was one of their unspoken sentiments of being teacher and student.

"Says you, _I _remember when we had to make you take a bath and post a watch," she retorted. Briar grimaced at the reminder of his early days at Discipline. All the girls had been happy to go take baths, but as a former street rat he'd had no such inclinations. As a result, for the first few months every time they went to the bath, which was every night, Tris's teacher Niklaren Goldeye had kept an eye out for the boy, making sure he didn't skip a bath and run back to Discipline.

"I'm not a street rat anymore Rosethorn. I'm all grown up and respectable now." Rosethorn just laughed.

Suddenly Evvy commanded, "Stop."

"What is it, girl?" Rosethorn asked irritably. She didn't _like_ riding for extended periods of time, no matter the necessity, and she certainly wasn't looking forward to the time left riding to Yanjing.

"The rocks, they're…moving…but they don't want to," Evvy said slowly.

A sudden spray of pebbles alerted Rosethorn and Briar to their immediate danger. Unfortunately, the cliff went on for miles in both directions leaving no place to run for cover.

"Evvy," Briar said urgently, "Can you stop them?"

"I can try, _Pahan_ Briar," she said hesitantly. "There are a lot of them, and I think there's a magic on them." With those words 'on them', Evvy knew she implied academic magic, and also knew that Briar and Rosethorn knew it was academic as well. As senior mages, they should have been able to sense it, if not for the fact that it was a dormant spell until they had 'tripped the wire', so to speak.

With a loud crack, a huge boulder detached itself from the top of the cliff and hurtled straight towards the three mages. However, as it fell, it disintegrated until a rain of small rocks landed on the mages without harming them.

"Did you see that, _Pahan _Briar?" Evvy asked gleefully, bouncing in her saddle. "I did like you taught me!"

"Which lesson, Evvy?" Briar asked, amused, but still not unaware of his danger.

"The one where you said to appeal to the nature of the stone! Shale likes to break apart." Evvy replied.

"Ok, all the teaching is great, but let's discuss it at a time when we're not right next to a shattering cliff," Rosethorn urged.

Then with another crack, the whole cliff broke apart.

* * *

Since I _am_ revising the story now, if anyone would like to request something put in or changed, I'll consider it.


	2. Plant Magic

Disclaimer – I still don't own any chars in here so far, but who knows later? So just don't sue me, ok?

*~*~*

_Crack!_ As the shale cliff tumbled down on the three travelers, each reacted in their own way. The rock mage attempted to break the shale into harmless little pieces, but even those pieces could bury the mages alive. The two plant mages had a different idea. Calling to the plants of the forest to their left, they poured their magic through the trees and vines, weaving a net of reinforced plants above their heads to catch the rock pieces. As each piece hit the net, the net flexed a little but held due to the strong magic of Rosethorn and Briar, with Briar drawing on the strength of his constant companion, his _shakkan_. Finally the cracking of rocks stopped, signaling the end of the collapse of the cliff.

"Evvy, can you crumble the rocks for us, so we can drop them over the edge without hurting the plants?" Briar asked, panting. Magic really took it out of a person without time to prepare.

As Evvy convinced the shale to break into small pebbles, Briar and Rosethorn slowly moved the plant canopy over the drop to the left with their magic, and then unwove the net, allowing the now tiny pieces of shale to fall to the forest floor.

"What _was_ that?" asked Evvy. "Why would there even be a spell on the rocks out here?" As she asked, she was also frantically checking her cats, making sure none of them had gotten hurt, especially not any of the kittens. They were so tiny even a small piece of shale could do potential damage. Finding all of them safe, and still entertained by their catnip, courtesy of Briar, she focused all of her attention on her two teachers.

"It's not like anyone was lying in wait here, right?" Briar and Rosethorn just stared at her. They had been discussing possibilities, and that had _definitely_ not been one that occurred to them.

"Who would have it out for us?" Rosethorn asked thoughtfully. "You two annoyed the Vipers, the _Amir's_ aunt, and Jebilu Stoneslicer, but the Lady is dead, and the Vipers in disarray. Add in the fact that neither of them had magic and we can successfully rule them out, leaving…"

"Stoneslicer," Briar finished for her. "We should have suspected something like this. He didn't like being told what to do by a member of Winding Circle's Initial Council _and_ the Mage-council of the University at Lightsbridge (A/N – Those are actually in Street Magic), and even less by being shown up by an untrained little girl."

Evvy grinned at the reminder. "Well he was a _zernamus_. He'd just never been told to his face. Old Jooba-hooba was a bad mage anyway."

"Those insults may have come back to bite us though, if they made him mad enough to chase us to Yanjing. We won't be passing anybody for weeks at a time, except for towns, and no one is expecting us." Rosethorn warned. "He will have plenty of time to hunt us down. We'll have to be on watch all the time."

"Well let's worry about that later," Briar said, stretching. "All that magic stuff has worn me out. I just want to sleep."

"Sleep where, might I ask?" commented Rosethorn. "In case you haven't noticed, we have a ruined cliff on one side, and a drop and a forest on the other."

"How about in that cave?" suggested Evvy, who had been sending her power through the rocks to see if there were any more spells she could find. "It's pretty sturdy and it was hidden before. I bet no one else knows about it."

"Sounds good," Briar said. "Let's get over there and have some dinner before I fall off this camel."

*~*~*

So how was the second chapter? *cricket cricket* Wish some people would find this story and give me some responses *sigh* Oh well.


	3. Learning Magic

Ok let's see here…I still don't own the chars, but I do own the plot, and next chapter who knows what will happen *hint hint* =D

*~*~*

"What's to eat?" That was the question on the minds of all three travelers. After having used so much of their energy in a rushed magical working, all were hungry and tired. Evvy's cats were prowling around, but Evvy was too tired to try to make them stay in one spot. Suddenly, the cats all came towards Evvy, dragging a bird's nest with eggs, and a dead bird in it. The bird was newly killed, dispatched neatly by Evvy's genius cats. They had learned good hunting skills while residing in the Heights and chasing rats, such as how to kill a prey while leaving it unmangled.

Tired as they were, the three travelers had enough energy to make a bird stew dinner, with a heated rock cooking pot, courtesy of Evvy who just sent her magic into the rock, filled with some of their water supply, herbs, and bird meat. All of them had been traveling long enough to know how to quickly gut an animal. Evvy also heated up a large rock in the cave and fried the bird's eggs on it. As always a portion of the meal went to the cats. All throughout dinner Briar, Rosethorn and Evvy were too tired to talk, and after cleaning up all three lay down to sleep.

*~*~*

The next morning came all too soon for the three travelers, but all were much refreshed by their sleep. After reheating the bird stew with a hot rock, it was time for magic lessons again. This time Evvy was trying to cast a sleep spell into the amethyst she was working on.

Ok, Evvy, focus all of your power into awakening the power of the rock – amethysts are great rocks for sleep spells," Briar mentored Evvy. "Just control the flow of power and feel for the soul of the stone."

"I know _Pahan_ Briar," Evvy retorted. "If you would stop talking long enough to look, you'd see I've already done it." She held her hand out to Briar with the glowing amethyst sitting in her palm.

"Oh," said Briar, surprised. "Ok, now test it on one of your cats." To test the spell on the cat was _not_ animal cruelty, for if the spell was wrong in any way, the stone would have blown up, and putting your magic teacher to sleep was not the best idea ever.

Evvy pressed her amethyst to Mystery, who had been lying down watching the two, and she promptly fell asleep.

"Great job, Evvy!" Briar praised her, ruffling her hair. "And you won't have to renew the spell for at least a year."

At that point Rosethorn came in from her privy break and saw the sleeping cat.

"Now that the magic lesson is done for the morning, let's meditate," she told the teacher and student crisply, settling down on the cave floor and spreading her habit out comfortably. Briar set up a ward for Evvy's power, and then sat down cross-legged on the floor of the cave with his teacher and student, to organize his power.

*~*~*

After meditation, Briar used a vial from his mage kit to wake up Mystery, who was still sleeping as a testimony to the strength of Evvy's rock spell. She woke up yawning, but with no other effects.

"That really is a great spell, Evvy," Briar commented. "You could sell those and make a lot of money." Evvy just grinned.

"And I won't have to pay you back _Pahan_ Briar," she laughed; Briar just groaned as he got the cats back into their travelling baskets.

"Don't remind me." Suddenly a thought struck him. "But _you_ will have to go through all this torture some day," he said laughing at her expression, a cross between annoyance and fear.

"I consider this _my_ payback," Rosethorn commented from astride her camel. "Now are you two going to keep bickering down there so I can move on without you, or are you going to help me catch that mage?" Both Briar and Evvy scrambled for their packs and loaded up their camels.

"So what's our plan?" Briar asked once they had gotten the protesting camels out of the cave. The cave had been a little too small for the tall camels, so it had been a very uncomfortable night for all involved.

"Well, I was thinking I could put you and Evvy up on that ledge and let you have at it till the mage comes along…" both Briar and Evvy groaned, but moved slightly away from the scary earth dedicate, "but I know that Lark would not approve when I got home and told her, so instead I was thinking we could try to trace his magic."

"How?" queried Briar. "I thought we could only do that if we had attached some of our magic to the person we wanted to track."

"You're forgetting that Evvy had sensed his magic before. If she follows the power through the cliff, we might find out at least where he was, and if we are lucky, maybe even where he is now," Rosethorn explained. Briar still looked lost, but Evvy understood what Rosethorn was staying. She went up to the cliff and slid her hand through the rock, making it act squishy much in the way she had back at the Heights. As she sent her spirit flying through the stone, she noticed strange patterns embedded in the stone that weren't natural. The patterns stretched in two directions, the way the travelers had come, and the way the travelers were going. Taking a chance, Evvy sent her magical self following the magic towards the east, and Yanjing, their destination. A few minutes later she found what she was looking for, a cave with a distinct magical presence. Returning to her body, she gave Briar and Rosethorn the news.

"There's someone in a cave about three miles to the east. I couldn't get in to see their face though," Evvy reported. "But there are magical trip-wires all along the way there. If we travel along this path we'll just get poured on by the stones." The three travelers sat in a glum silence as they tried to figure out a way to get to the sorcerer. They could use their magic if they had to, but the further away from their bodies they were when they used it, the more effort it took, and the power was still weaker than if they worked the magic from inside their bodies.

"Ok, here's what we will do," Rosethorn finally said. "Evvy, were the trip wires strung along the cliff top?" Evvy shook her head, her hair and headscarf flapping. "Good. Can you convince the rocks where the rockslide was to make a path for us to climb up?" This time Evvy nodded her head. "Good. After you do that, we will travel along the cliff top until we get to that cave. Then Briar and I will use some of our vine seed packets to imprison the mage. Your job is to use that amethyst of yours on him once we have him restrained. Got it?" Both Briar and Evvy nodded; Evvy's neck was starting to hurt from all the movement. "Let's move."

Ten minutes later the three travelers, the three camels, and all ten cats (Asa had three kittens) were on top of the cliff. The path that Evvy had made was a staircase of shale.

"That was amazing magic for someone as new to it as you," Briar praised Evvy. She had convinced the stones to move with hardly any effort, compressing pieces of shale into blocks that became part of the staircase.

"Thanks _Pahan_ Briar," she grinned back at him, her headscarf flapping in the wind flying across the top of the cliff. Rosethorn was vainly trying to keep her habit from flapping, and both she and Briar were glad they had short hair, so they did not have to worry about it flying into their faces. They were even gladder that there were not too many shale fragments on top of the cliff to fly into their faces and hurt.

"Ok Evvy, you lead the way, and stop us when we are above the cliff," Rosethorn ordered.

*~*~*

Half an hour later, Evvy said, "We're above the cliff now." She sent her power down through the rocks. "They're still in there, they haven't even moved, and there's still a spell around the cave, I can't get in."

"Don't worry about that," Briar reassured her. "I analyzed it, and it's just for rock magic, not for plant magic." He and Rosethorn had pulled out cloth-wrapped bundles of seeds of a thin, tough vine, and now pitched them into the cave. Once they were sure that all the bundles had landed, the two plant mages woke the power of life in the seeds, causing them to go through years of growth in just seconds. They then directed the whip-like vines to seize the sleeping mage, wrapping him up tight. As the vines wove around him, the mage woke up, and started to shout a spell, before the vines wove over his mouth, effectively muffling him.

"Now, Evvy, climb into the cave," Briar hissed, all his attention on keeping the struggling mage immobile. Evvy quickly climbed into the cave using her natural agility from living in the cave warrens of Chammur, and saw the struggling mage in the dark. She crept up behind him, as quiet as one of her cats, and quickly pressed her amethyst to his temple. He immediately collapsed in a deep sleep. Evvy walked to the cave entrance to call up the Rosethorn and Briar that he had been put to sleep, but the two mages had felt that when he stopped struggling against their bonds. Briar climbed down to the cave easily, but Rosethorn was having more trouble, not having been a former street rat.

"Evvy, can you make a path down for me?" she called to the cave. "I can't climb down this cursed cliff." Evvy quickly hurried to convince the shale cliff to make hand and foot holds for the irritable mage.

"Thank you," she said to Evvy after her feet were firmly planted on the cave floor. "What I would give to be back on nice moist earth though," she commented, looking longingly down towards the forest. Then she was all business, heading to the back of the cave to take a look at their mystery mage. As she turned him over, she gasped.

"Who is it Rosethorn?" Briar asked. "I don't recognize him."

"It can't be," she said slowly, backing away towards the back of the cave.

*~*~*

Yes I am evil, but so far I only have one reader, so if you are a new reader, please review ^.^ Its summer break so it's not like I have anything better to do right now than wait for reviews.

2000 words EXACLTY...new record!!! Now, all of you invisible readers, please be nice to this poor bored new author and REVIEW


	4. Reolin Stonecarver Magic User

Ok this chapter might end up a little short, but bear with me, it's a confessions chapter kk?

Disclaimer – For all those who haven't figured it out already, while me and TP might have 6 letters in both of our names, we are not the same person, got it? So therefore I obviously don't own CoM.

*~*~*

"It's Reolin Stonecarver." Rosethorn deadpanned, keeping her back against the cave wall.

"And who is that exactly?" asked Briar, as his teacher slowly slid to the floor, still staring at the trussed up, sleeping mage.

"He was my best friend at Lightsbridge. He was a great student. And he killed his best friend over a girl," Rosethorn said, a single tear trickling down her cheek at the memory.

Taking a breath, Rosethorn began telling her story to the two former street rats.

"When I was at Lightsbridge, I didn't have any friends. I tended to scare most people away by then. But this boy was different. I could talk to him, and he wouldn't run away when I was angry. It was almost like he cared. So for about two years we were best friends. We knew everything about each other...I thought. I guess I didn't know about that side of him.

He had a girlfriend that he loved to the end of the Endless Sea and back. But he found her cheating on him with his best friend. He couldn't kill the girl he loved no matter how much she had hurt him, so instead he killed his best friend. All over a girl. And he didn't even regret it later. That's when I knew he wasn't the person I thought he was.

I told him we weren't friends, he was already being suspected in the murder trial. He had used some sort of killing spell wrapped around a rock that he had placed in his friend's mattress. I don't know what exactly, I didn't attend the trial. I couldn't bear to see the person I had been friends with as a murderer with no heart, because that is what he was.

After he was found guilty, he was sent to prison, but he broke out. The idiot guards had put him in a stone prison. Soon after I left Lightsbridge for Winding Circle, going back home. I didn't think that I would ever see him again. I guess I was wrong. But I don't know what he is doing here. Why would he try to kill us?"

At that question, the mage woke up, and stared at Rosethorn.

"It's because you knew, Rosie. You knew them both; you should know why I did it." He said it in a flat voice, as if he had no emotion. But his eyes were burning as he looked at his former friend.

"They were my friends too you bastard, you killed one of my friends, and broke the heart and mind of the other one, it's no wonder I hate you!" Although her voice had started off soft, Rosethorn ended up yelling at the academic stone mage.

"You should have known. You knew both of them. You had to have seen it. And you didn't tell me." His emotionless eyes stared into her tearful, angry ones, as the two students looked on at the emotional breakdown of their teacher.

"How could I have known! I don't know anything about love! _You_ were my best friend. I spent all my time with you and them! The four of us were inseparable, and you had to break it!" She was screaming now, remembering the horrors after the trial. Her friend, whose heart had been broken by her former boyfriend, who had killed the love of her life, had a mental breakdown and never recovered. Her other friend was dead, at the hands of a merciless, emotionless man, whom she had thought of as one of the most caring people she knew. It had been too much for her, and she had fled back to Winding Circle, and the home she knew she had there.

"You should have known," he said again. "You were just as guilty."

*~*~*

Yeah I know its short, but its 1 in the morning, so give me a break? I know Rosethorn might seem a little OOC, but imagine if one of your friends died, another one had a mental breakdown, and the third one turned into an emotionless killer…I know I would break down and cry at the memory. Anyway she cries when she remembers some stuff from her past in other books, so who knows? REVIEW!!!! (Devil face).


	5. Lightsbridge Magic School

Ok, so this is the next chapter, sorry I took so long to update, but Online Health was being annoying and giving WAY too much work. After this I'm going to be gone for a while, so the story will be on hold for about 5 weeks, but I'll work on writing chapters while I'm gone. Sorry about that.

Previously –

"How could I have known! I don't know anything about love! You were my best friend. I spent all my time with you and them! The four of us were inseparable, and you had to break it!" She was screaming now, remembering the horrors after the trial. Her friend, whose heart had been broken by her former boyfriend, who had killed the love of her life, had a mental breakdown and never recovered. Her other friend was dead, at the hands of a merciless, emotionless man, whom she had thought of as one of the most caring people she knew. It had been too much for her, and she had fled back to Winding Circle, and the home she knew she had there.

"You should have known," he said again. "You were just as guilty."

*~*~*

Rosethorn simply collapsed against the cave wall again, sobbing. Briar and Evvy hated seeing their strong teacher reduced to tears, so they did the only things they could to help her - Briar went to comfort his teacher, and Evvy knocked the stone mage out once more.

After Rosethorn had calmed down slightly, Briar and Evvy asked the question that had been plaguing them throughout Rosethorn's story.

"Rosethorn, why were you at Lightsbridge? I thought you were at Winding Circle from the time you were a novice till you were a Dedicate." Briar asked, confused.

Rosethorn wiped her face with a cloth Evvy handed to her. "I was, but after I became a Dedicate, before I met Lark, I left Winding Circle. I wanted to see what academic magic was like, just like Tris does now," she explained. "And I did get to see it, the good and the bad," she added bitterly.

"But you're an ambient mage," Evvy exclaimed. "What good would seeing academic magic do if you can't use it?"

"Even if you can't use it, it's still helpful to know how it works, so if you have to deal with it in the future, you know how." Briar explained to his student.

"I spent years there, studying how academic magic worked. Back then, there weren't as many conflicts between academic magic and ambient magic; the two groups accepted each other. I don't know why that changed," said Rosethorn.

"Anyway, like I said before, I made three friends, and we were really close. Reolin was an academic rock mage, Isa, his former girlfriend, was an academic glass mage - she made beautiful pieces, I still have a few, and Reolin's best friend, Kail, was a merchant turned academic smith mage. Together, the three of them made beautiful masterpieces; they were some of the best students in the University.

I couldn't do that much to help them, because my magic was different, I had to work through the plants, while they could shape their materials and then cast spells on them to do what they wanted. But I could appreciate them, and not fawn over how brilliant they were, but actually get to know them. They appreciated that. After all, how tired would you get of being told you were brilliant everyday by people you barely knew? You both know I would never do that." Briar and Evvy both laughed at that. Rosethorn would more likely have insulted them for having let it get to their heads. Rosethorn smiled in remembrance. "At first they were really peeved that I didn't seem to appreciate their brilliance, but eventually they realized that I recognized it, but didn't base my opinion of them on it."

At this point, Rosethorn had to stop her story for a second to let Evvy re-knock out the rogue stone mage, who was starting to come around again. This time, he seemed to begin to wake up faster, making Evvy think he had a charm on him somewhere to decrease the effects of Evvy's magic. She said as much to Rosethorn who said, "Search him then. It will probably be sewn into the lining of his clothes or some such place. He was always very careful with his charms." She seemed to have gotten over her earlier distress, and was now radiating hatred towards the man that had destroyed her happiness at Lightsbridge.

Evvy did as she was told without comment, a rare occasion, and eventually found a small pebble, with a spell cast upon it, sewn into the lining of his boot.

"Keep it Evvy, it would do you good to see some academic rock magic first hand," Briar instructed, placing it into a magic negating pouch Sandry had made for him before they left Summersea.

After the brief interruption, Rosethorn continued with her explanation.

"Lightsbridge was – new – to someone who had come from a simple village to Winding Circle. It was much bigger and moved at a faster pace that either place. Reolin, Isa, and Kail helped me to survive those first few months. We had our arguments, because none of us were people to back down from an opinion easily, but that just added to the attraction.

Reolin and Isa were especially close – I told you they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Reolin worshiped her like nothing else; but that didn't keep him from telling her his opinions. He was more stubborn than the three of us put together – he wouldn't back down no matter what. I think Isa eventually got tired of being told what to do all the time, no matter how much she loved him. Kail was a much gentler person than Reolin. He would tell us his opinions, but he would also consider our own, and usually find merit with some parts of them. Isa became attracted to him over time. She told me she was going to break up with Reolin, but before she could, he walked in on her and Kail kissing. It shattered his mental stability. She was everything to him, and he believed she was his soul mate, no matter what she thought. He had told us all about his deep feelings before numerous times. It was bordering on obsessive, actually." Rosethorn gave a short, mirthless laugh. "I guess that's where this comes in. He decided to kill us all off, because we knew of his obsession."

"But isn't Isa still alive?" Evvy asked, confused. "You never told us she died."

"Oh, she died," Rosethorn responded sadly. "She hung herself after the trial. I got a message from Lightsbridge about a month after I returned to Winding Circle. In it was a letter from Isa addressed to me. It told me all about why she killed herself, and how sorry she was for leaving me behind. It also had a small glass piece in it, the last one she ever made. It was a glass ball with winding glass vines around it. I still have it in my room at Winding Circle." Rosethorn trailed off into silence, sinking deep into her own private thoughts. Briar and Evvy looked at each other, then at their teacher, concerned for her mental health after all the sorrow she had to remember, all because of one man, who was sitting right in front of them. They both had a similar thought, punish the one who had made Rosethorn feel sad. But before they could start thinking up a plan, Rosethorn came back to the present and said, "Now, what are we going to do with _him_."

*~*~*

Hehe, sorry another story chapter, but it was asked for by Dajisary Goldeye, and I oblige. ^.^ That and it was a good idea to tell more about Lightsbridge. I kinda molded this around an assumption I made from Street Magic. Rosethorn is part of a council of Lightsbridge, right? Yes. So therefore, she had to have spent _some_ time there, and why not have gotten to know all about Lightsbridge before she became known as a great mage? So that's where that came from. Any other questions, feel free to ask in a review or pm me. But I'm not going to have internet access for about 5 weeks, with a 1 day break in between, (beach and sleepaway camp), so I don't know how fast I'll be able to respond. Anyway, thanks for reading, and plz REVIEW! I love them! I obsessively check my email for them! YAY MARSHMELLOW ---(__(_) (yea I'm random =D)


	6. Fighting Magic

Ok, well, I got internet access I didn't expect at the beach, so heres the next chapter cause I'm that awesome!

Previously –

_Rosethorn trailed off into silence, sinking deep into her own private thoughts. Briar and Evvy looked at each other, then at their teacher, concerned for her mental health after all the sorrow she had to remember, all because of one man, who was sitting right in front of them. They both had a similar thought, punish the one who had made Rosethorn feel sad. But before they could start thinking up a plan, Rosethorn came back to the present and said, "Now, what are we going to do with _him_."_

*~*~*

"Are we going to take him with us?" Evvy asked, scratching her head thoughtfully. They couldn't let him roam loose obviously because he was a wanted mage, but at the same time, taking him with them to Yanjing would be a bad idea, because he would be perpetually in the company of Rosethorn. They could always turn back and go to Chammur, but that would take away weeks of travel from their trip to Yanjing. It was a hefty dilemma.

"We can't take him with us all the way to Yanjing," Briar said, echoing Evvy's thoughts. "We don't have an extra camel to take him on, and keeping him in your company is just asking for trouble Rosethorn."

"I agree, but at the same time, we can't turn back to Chammur. We've been traveling for three weeks to leave that city behind for good reason, and going back would add at least six weeks onto our travel time."

"What about Hajra?" Evvy asked tentatively. Definitely not her style, but she knew how much Briar hated that place. (A/N – We're gonna pretend that Hajra is between Chammur and Yanjing in Sotat, because I don't have a map of Sotat in front of me.) Briar had spent the first ten years of his life scrounging a living in Deadman's District in Hajra, and had sworn to never go back. But now he looked fine with the prospect.

"It can't hurt me anymore Evvy," Briar responded quietly. "I've gotten over what they did, and I'm a full-fledged mage now. They mess with me, they mess with my mates too, and I know it."

"Dead right," Rosethorn replied, mouth tight.

"So it's settled? We go to Hajra to drop off this – piece of trash, and continue on our way to Yanjing." Briar said with finality, standing up and brushing the dirt of the cave floor off his clothes. Because they were Sandry-made, the dirt came off easily. Rosethorn and Evvy did the same, although the dust stuck to Evvy's clothes.

"I wish I had clothes spelled like yours," Evvy complained. She got very tired of being coated by dirt after having had a perpetual coating from living in the Heights. It really got a bit annoying after a while, when you had the option of being clean.

"When we get back to Winding Circle, I promise I'll ask Sandry to make some clothes for you," Briar laughed. Evvy just wrinkled her nose at him.

"That's at least two years away, _Pahan_ Briar."

"I know," he smiled.

*~*~*

Twenty minutes later, the three travelers and the trussed up mage were on the road again. Because there were only three camels, obviously one of the mages would have to take the incapacitated one. Briar volunteered for the job happily. He had decided to keep a knife ready at all times, just waiting for the excuse to make the man that had hurt Rosethorn bleed. He already had one out and ready for when the man stirred. The incapacitated mage was flung over the front of Briar's saddle, in plain sight of all, and in what had to be an uncomfortable position. None of them had any pity for him however.

Evvy and Rosethorn were riding camel's in front and back of Briar's, just in case the mage did wake up and manage to escape Briar – VERY unlikely, of course, but you never know with mages. Evvy was also itching to get at the mage, but knew that it was better Briar had him. Her power would be weaker against the rogue mage's should he decide to use it, because they both worked through rock, where as Briar and Rosethorn both had significantly more power than her and could restrain Reolin with plants.

"Ok, guys, let's move out to Hajra," Briar said, spurring his camel forward.

At that moment, Reolin decided to wake up. Well, not decided, but fought off Evvy's sleep spell. Growling, he attempted to fight his bonds, only to stop suddenly. Briar had pressed one of his knives to the rogue mage's neck, and was whispering in his ear, "Don't tempt me. I'm just waiting to make you suffer." At that, the mage carefully relaxed his body to an unthreatening position, until Briar took away his knife.

"Good. Now, if you move again, next time I won't be so lenient," Briar threatened Reolin. He waited until the mage nodded slowly before returning his attention to the road ahead.

A few hours later, the group was still traveling next to the canyon wall. Reolin hadn't stirred since Briar had threatened him, much to Briar's disappointment. Suddenly, the camels stopped their forward movement, startling Rosethorn, Evvy, and Briar, but not Reolin. Their feet had been bound by rocks all around, and they couldn't be lifted. Apparently during the time he had been quiet, Reolin had been weaving a spell to affect the rocks. Briar, Rosethorn, and Evvy could not jump off their camels because they each knew that if their feet touched the ground, they would also be imprisoned in the spell. However, Reolin had slithered off the camel he was slung over, and had landed on the ground without any ill effects. Briar lashed out at him with a knife, but the mage rolled under the camel away from the slash, which cut his gag in the process. Spitting out the gag the mage began to taunt them.

"You can't get to me now, but I can get to you. There's nothing you can do to restrain me or stop me. And I _will_ have my revenge. But first, I will find out why my Isa killed herself. She had me! She needed no one else. And _you _know why." He glared at Rosethorn. "You are coming with me, and you will tell me _all_."

Quickly using a sharp rock to cut his bonds, the rogue mage walked up to Rosethorn, grabbed her around the waist, and uttered a spell. The pair quickly started rising up the face of the cliff, born by the rock.

"Evvy, can you stop the rocks?" Briar asked urgently. Rosethorn was fighting the mage, which made it harder for him to concentrate on his spell, but she couldn't call on her plants while he had a magic-dampening rock on him. It seemed he never went anywhere unprepared for all magical possibilities.

Thinking quickly, Evvy sent her power into the rocks directly about Reolin and Rosethorn on the slope. If she could get her magic into the rocks before Reolin cast his magic on them, he would not be able to move further up the cliff; his spell was a vertical spell, not a horizontal one, so he couldn't just go around her barrier. She then sent her magic into the rocks below him, so he couldn't come back down. As he strained against her magic, Rosethorn managed to get loose from him, jumping down to where Briar and Evvy were sitting on their camels. Reolin's previous spell had been cancelled so he could concentrate his energy on trying to escape up the cliff. Once she was off the ledge of rock, Briar lobbed a ball of vine seeds onto the platform and sent his magic through it. The vines sprang to life, winding around the mage's arms, legs, and mouth. Once his concentration was broken, the rock slab disappeared back into the cliff, dropping the mage back onto the ground.

"No, let's not try any more escape attempts, understood?" Briar asked in a deadly voice, his knife appearing at Reolin's throat. The mage just glared back.

*~*~*

Ok, so that's the next chapter, I might be able to get one more up, but I don't know. It was thunderstorm day at the beach, so I couldn't go play in the waves, meaning I had plenty of free time to write more story! =D


	7. Hajra Thief Magic

Chapter 7 - Hajra - Thief Magic

Ok, so here's another chapter. I would like to thank all those who review my story so many times, reviews are what keep me writing-

Dajisary Goldeye

RedRangerBelt

Angelwahalla and Spazwahalla

Thank you so much, I love your reviews, and the ideas you guys give me.

I would especially like to thank Dajisary Goldeye, for suggesting two great ideas that were created in chapters 5 and 7.

It has also been brought to my attention by RedRangerBelt that Rosethorn might have gone to Lightsbridge with Crane, thanks for the update! I decided Chapter Five will be before she went there with Crane, as she was very confused about how stuff worked there, and lost in general. And now, onto the next part of Teaching Magic!

*~*~*

Two weeks later, the group of four was in Hajra. After the first five or ten escape attempts, Reolin had finally given up and lay on his camel quietly. It helped that the travelers gave him just enough food and water to survive, keeping him too weak to do much magic. Rosethorn had bound the academic rock mage up with vines, ensuring he couldn't wiggle out of them without her knowing. She had also had Evvy make a magic-canceling rock specifically tuned to the rogue mage. She had told Evvy how to make it, something she had picked up at Lightsbridge. First, Evvy had to feel his magic, which was his essence. Evvy had sent her power into him, and sought out his magical core. When she returned to her body, she said his magic felt hard, shiny, and sulfurous. Then she had to transmit that feeling to a blood stone, because blood stones were great rocks for blocking magic. Then she had to give the magic in the stone a twist, as if reversing its nature, to become the exact opposite of Reolin's magic, effectively blocking it when in contact with said mage. The mages had debated on where to put it, and had eventually decided on sewing it into the lining of his underclothes in order to make it much harder for him to get rid of it. They had Briar do the sewing and placing.

Once they had arrived in Hajra, the group walked through the streets on the way to the magical prison, where rogue mages like Reolin were kept. The cells there were made out of various mediums, and the mages were placed in cells their magics did not react well with. The group attracted curious glances from passerby, who rarely saw camels, let alone four mages in a group. But then Briar got a surprise. Two of his mates from his former gang spotted the group and recognized 'Roach'. One immediately split off to go find and alert the Thief Lord, who ruled over all the gangs, while the other went to confront his former mate.

As the mages continued walking through the streets, Briar heard a shout, "Roach!". Reacting instinctively, he turned around in a crouch, two of his wrist knives already sliding into his hands. When he saw who had called him, he was surprised to say the least. "Bulldog?"

"Roach, where you been man? Thought you were sentenced for life! And here you are all primped up and pretty." Bulldog commented, eyeing Briar's fine clothes and travel bags. "No word ever gets out of court about where the street rats go."

"I've been around," Briar answered warily, signaling Rosethorn and Evvy to continue on to the jail. Evvy shook her head mulishly, she wasn't about to leave her teacher alone with gang members after what happened in Chammur, but Rosethorn just nodded and continued on.

"What happened to you? And where're the others?" Bulldog asked again.

"They're probably dead by now," Briar said without emotion. "You know what happens when you get hard labor for life."

"Yeah, but why aren't you dead too? You shoulda got the same sentence," Bulldog commented, confused.

"I was rescued by a bag," Briar answered shortly. The longer he stayed here, the longer Rosethorn was alone in the company of that mage.

"Then why didn't you come back? You abandoned us, _mate_," Bulldog spat at him. "Thought we were mates forever."

"I'm past living like that. I had my share, and when I had my chance to get out, I took it." As the two had talked, gangs and street rats had slowly been accumulating into a ring around the two, just watching silently. Evvy fidgeted, not liking what she saw.

"Well now Roach, what are you doing back here in my domain?" The Thief Lord appeared in front of the two former street rats, Bulldog fading back into the crowd.

"Mind your own neb, _Thief Lord_, unless you want it chopped off for you," growled Briar at his former boss. "Evvy, go over with the rest of them," he gestured to the Thief Lord's subjects. "This is my fight."

"That's not a nice way to talk to the man who saved your life Roach." The Thief Lord told Briar.

"You did nothing for me. Niko saved my life; you just made it longer." Briar responded.

"Really now." Thief Lord palmed one of his blades and jabbed at Briar's stomach. Briar jumped back, the knife barely missing his shirt.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't rip my clothes. My mate made them for me." Briar taunted the Thief Lord.

"Why don't you come and share all that wealth of yours with us then, _Roach_?"

"So it'll just be sucked into your coffers? How would that benefit anyone besides you?"

Briar and the Thief Lord began to lunge and parry at each other with their knives; each had two. Briar slashes at Thief Lord's shoulder, blocked by a knife, Thief Lord hooked Briar's leg, and tried to cut his wrist, Briar rolled away, with a gash on his forearm. He got up panting. "Child's play."

Lunges at Thief Lord, feints at leg, slash across chest. "You should run now, _Thief Lord_, before you die."

"As if you could kill me. I will prove that none of my subjects shall surpass me!"

The Thief Lord swiped at Briar's head, who ducked to avoid the knife blade, then at his feet, making Briar jump to avoid the second knife. As he jumped he struck at the Thief Lord's head, which had lowered to try to cut Briar's legs. The Thief Lord was cut across the scalp, making blood run into his eyes.

"Well I have to end this quick then before someone calls the guards to stop this, so I can show you how weak you are." With that Briar began to attack in earnest, making the Thief Lord have to dodge or block each of his thrusts. He began forcing the Thief Lord backwards towards an uneven part of the street he had spied. When Briar had maneuvered the Thief Lord into position, he quickly jabbed at the Thief Lord's stomach forcing him to take a quick step backwards into the rough part of the road, making him stumble and almost fall. While the Thief Lord was off balance, Briar took advantage of his distraction to step behind him and immobilize him with a knife point just under the ear.

"Now, do you yield, or will I have to kill you?" Briar asked in a soft, deadly voice, illustrating his point by pushing harder on the delicate skin under the Thief Lord's ear.

"I yield," gasped the Thief Lord, surreptitiously adjusting his knives. When Briar let go and stepped back, the Thief Lord swiftly crouched and swiped at Briar's stomach, hoping to catch Briar by surprise. But Briar wasn't there.

"I warned you," the Thief Lord heard from behind, just before his world went dark forever. Briar wiped his knives on the dead Thief Lord's clothes. The subjects of the Thief Lord watched in silence.

"What are you all still doing here?" Briar asked annoyed. "You're free of him, so take the chance and go raid his store room, I know you know where it is, now scram, before the guard comes!"

"Roach is right," said one of Briar's former mates from the Lightnings, "Let's grab the loot and go, before they nab us!" With that little speech he led the mob of street rats to the Thief Lord's treasure trove, Briar and Evvy staying behind.

"That was a good thing you did," Evvy said quietly, come up to stand behind Briar. He was fingering his knives, staring at the dead Thief Lord.

"I know it was, and it had to be done, but that doesn't make it better that I killed another person," he replied just as quietly.

"It was you or him, like you said, it had to be done," Evvy comforted him. "Let's go check on Rosethorn now, that will make you forget about trash like him."

*~*~*

And another chapter done! I hope this one meets approval, I really don't know how good my fight scene was, it was technically my first one...Anyway, please review they make me feel happy and loved!


	8. Authors Note

Hey guys, I'm finally back from camp!

Anyway, I'm not completely sure what I want to do with my story now, I can either cut it off with them turning Reolin in at Hajra, and then they continue on their merry way, or I can make it so they cannot turn him in at Hajra and instead have to go to Lightsbridge, which would probably last for like.....around 4 chs?

Anyway, so I'm going to make a poll on my profile where you can vote, or just leave your opinion in a review. TY!

(Edit) Until I can get the stupid poll to show up on my profile, leave your opinions in reviews. Ty!

(Edit v2) the poll is now up!

(Edit v3) Ok, the voting has been open for around a month, and I only got FIVE votes! =( Oh well, So far the vote is majority for me to continue the story, so I'll start working on that. If any one has any ideas for funny stuff they want me to put in, just pm me or something.

~Soraya


	9. Magic Memories

Chapter 8 – Magic Memories

Oooook.....finally back with another chapter. I'm sooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry it took so long! First I was at camp, then I was back at school, and for some reason school feels the need to try to kill me with homework overload! I had two projects due in a week, then I got two more that same week, and next week I have two due Monday, one due Tuesday, AND one due Wednesday, as well as all the other homework they feel like giving us, and quizzes, and tests. Who ever said senior year is easier than junior year was full of BULL. SERIOUSLY. Anyway, enough with my school troubles. So yea, I'm really sorry it took this long to post, but here it is! I hope you all like it.

Disclaimer - Anything you recognize in here (like Briar's flashback) belongs to Tamora Pierce. Not me. Sadly.

On with the story!

Previously –

_"That was a good thing you did," Evvy said quietly, come up to stand behind Briar. He was fingering his knives, staring at the dead Thief Lord._

_"I know it was, and it had to be done, but that doesn't make it better that I killed another person," he replied just as quietly._

"_It was you or him, like you said, it had to be done," Evvy comforted him. "Let's go check on Rosethorn now, that will make you forget about trash like him."_

*~*~*

"What do you mean you won't take him!?"

Briar and Evvy heard Rosethorn's irate voice long before they got to the guardhouse where she had taken the rogue mage.

"Sounds like she's in a mood again," Evvy remarked, with an almost evil grin on her face. It was so nice not to be on the receiving end of Rosethorn's anger.

"Yes it does," Briar answered almost as evilly. The two rounded the corner and saw Rosethorn standing in front of the guardhouse yelling at a senior officer. Reolin was still tressed up on the camel behind her, and the guard kept shooting wary glances at him, when now cowering from Rosethorn.

"We bring him all the way from _Chammur_, and you have the nerve – the _nerve_ – to tell me you can't take him just because you're afraid he'll break out of your so called _mage prisons_," she stopped here to draw a breath, "which are called 'mage prisons' for a _reason_! To keep mages in!"

The guardsman visibly shrank under her harsh glare. "My apologies dedicate, but we housed this man before. He broke through our defenses like rice paper."

Rosethorn looked incredulous at this. "You mean you don't even have _reliable_ _prisons?_ What kind of place are you running! – No, don't answer that! I will see these so called prisons, and judge for myself whether it is safe for him to stay here." At this the guardsman looked even more terrified, but to defy Rosethorn now was not a good idea. Briar and Evvy stifled their giggles, and followed their mentor and friend into the jail.

The warden of the jail led the three, plus burden, (the camel had been left outside under the watch of the guardsman Rosethorn had terrorized), through the warren of passages that made up the jail. They passed many cells, most of which were crammed with street urchins who had been caught for stealing. Briar caught glances of the special "x" tattoos on the web of skin between their thumb and index finger, and winced in sympathy and remembrance. Some he knew were headed for hard labor for life, however long it may last. He touched his own tattoos in memory.

_Flashback – _

_Twin pairs of rough hands picked him up, then dropped him in front of the magistrate's table, jarring his ankles. He growled and fought as the guards dragged his hands out in front of him. He knew it was useless, but he didn't care – they'd remember him, at least!_

_The judge didn't look at his face, only his hands. "Docks," she said, and yawned._

_They were dragging Roach to a separate pen from the ones that held Weevil and Viper when a light male voice said, "A moment."_

_It was not a request, but a command. The guards looked back. Roach did not._

"_May I see the boy again?" the man inquired._

"_Bring him." The judge sounded bored._

_Roach was hauled back to the stand in front of a civilian. This was no lawyer or soldier. His long, loose over-robe was deep blue, dyed cloth that cost a silver penny the yard on Draper's lane. It was worn over open loose gray breeches, a pale grey shirt, and good boots. He carried only a dagger; it hung next to the purse on his belt._

_This was a Money-Bag, then, or an officer. Somebody big, for certain. Somebody who wore power like a cloak._

_The Bag whispered something to the judge, who made a face. He held something before her eyes, a letter with a beribboned seal on it. The judge glared at Roach but nodded, and the Bag stepped away from her. "Their Majesties are inclined to mercy, as you are but a youth." The judge rattled it off fast, a speech learned by heart. "You have a choice – the docks, or exile from Sotat and service at the – " She faltered._

_The Bag bent down to whisper, long, gray-streaked black hair tumbling forward to hide his face. Roach wondered if he was looking for a cute little servant boy, and grinned. Men who liked play-toys always regretted meeting him._

_The man straightened and looked around until his dark eyes caught and held Roach's gray-green ones. There was something in that black gaze, something that had nothing to do with human play-toys. Roach's sense of power held in check grew threefold when he met those eyes. The warned – and comforted – at the same time._

_Roach looked down._

"_You have a choice of the docks, or apprenticeship to the Winding Circle Temple in Emelan," the judge went on, "until you take formal vows at the temple, or until its governing council rules that you are fit to enter society. Temple or docks, boy. Choose."_

_Choose? There were guards on the docks, nasty, wary fellows. What temple could hang onto a smart rat like him? Better yet, Emelan was far to the north or Sotat, fresh territory where no one knew who he was. "Temple," he replied._

"_Make out transfer papers," the judge told a clerk. "Master Niklaren" – this was to the blue-robed man – "will you take charge of him?"_

"_Of course."_

_For a moment Roach's heart raced: he might be able to run before he ever saw Emelan! Then he met the Bag's eyes and gave up that idea. The man – Master Niklaren? – looked too wise to fall for any dodge he might pull._

"_I can't make out papers for a 'Roach,'" whined the clerk. "Not to a _temple_."_

"_This is a chance, lad." Niklaren's voice was light in tone for a man's. "You can pick a name, one that's yours alone. You can choose how you will be seen from now on."_

_Only as long as I stay, Roach thought. Still, the Bag was right. Roach had never liked his name, but no one argued with the title the Thief-Lord gave._

"_Choose, boy, and hurry up," snapped the judge. "I've other cases besides yours."_

_The docks were too close to risk annoying these people. What name would temple folk like? Plant and animal names, that was it. He imagined robed men and women smiling at him and giving up the key to the temple gates. _

_Plant and animal names. A picture flashed into his mind: a green, velvet corner – but that wouldn't do. He needed a tough name, one that would tell folk he was not to be trifled with. He studied his hands, trying to think – and noticed scarred welts across his right palm, a souvenir of a vine that grew on a merchant's garden wall._

"_What's them vines with needles on them? Big, sharp ones, that rip chunks out when you grab 'em?"_

_The Bag smiled. "Roses. Briars."_

_He liked the sound of that second one. "Briar, then."_

"_You need a last name," the clerk said, rolling his eyes._

_A last name? wondered Roach. Whatever for?_

_The judge tapped the desk impatiently._

"_Moss," he said. No one would think he was moss-soft if he just didn't use it._

"_Briar Moss," said the clerk, and filled in the blank space on his paper. "Master Niko, I'll need your signature."_

_Briar frowned. "Master" was a word for professors, mages, and wizards. The temples called women and men "dedicate." Who was this man, anyway?_

"_Cut him loose," the Bag – Master Niklaren – ordered the guards._

"_Your pardon, sir, but you don't know what he's like!" growled one of them. "He's born and bred to vice – " _

_Niklaren straightened and caught the man with those black, powerful eyes. "Are these remarks addressed to me?"_

_Roach shivered – was the room suddenly colder? The judge drew a circle of protection on the front of her robe. The guard's face went white as milk. His partner cut Roach free._

"_Briar won't run – will you, lad?" Niklaren bent to sign the clerk's paper._

_Briar/Roach sensed that the Bag was right. Something about this man made escape seem like a bad idea._

_I'll stick till we get to this temple place, he told himself. I can get lost there, easy._

– _End Flashback_

He laughed at himself silently. He had certainly wised up since he was Roach the street rat. Going to Winding Circle had been the best thing that had ever happened to him, and meeting the girls, and especially Rosethorn. Despite getting the sharp edge of her tongue more often than he liked, she was still the person he loved most. Then there was Evvy more recently. She was like a younger sister to him. He had rescued her from the streets the same as Niko had rescued him, and taken her under his wing, no matter how unprepared for it he was, and if he said so himself he was doing a good job of it. Then again it did help to have your own teacher on hand to help you.

Now he turned his attention back to the cells they were passing. They were out of the street section, and into the higher class portions of the prison. The cells they passed were bigger, but they were also even barer than the ones for the street people. They were mostly empty, except for one or two, where the occupants sat on the floor, staring blankly out of the bars. A few quick experiments of Evvy's and his, and it was proven that while the guards and viewers could see in, the occupants could not see out. It was like an invisible one way mirror.

Finally they stopped in front of one of the empty cells. "This is the one he was originally housed in, when we found him harassing some people, and he resisted capture. He broke through the wards in a matter of hours, overpowered the guards, and simply walked out. We decided not to chase him or risk losing more men," the warden explained.

"Briar, Evvy, you come here," Rosethorn ordered sharply. She was still in a bad mood. It was harder to sense the plants surrounded by stone as she was. "Evvy I want you so sense in the stones for any spells cast on them or rooted in them. Briar I want you to follow her power and check her work. I will do the same to you, as well as search for any gaps in the power." The three got to work, searching every rock in the cell and every crack. Evvy found wards for sapping magic, restraining magic, preventing any magic from being cast on the stones, but nothing to keep previously cast spells from being activated to negate the spells. She said as much to Rosethorn.

Rosethorn, on the other hand, had found many hairline cracks in between the spells, where someone as skilled as Reolin, if they could get past the original spells, could exploit the weaknesses.

"Your cell is a piece of crap," she told the warden disdainfully. "You let him in with one piece of spelled rock, and he took down the whole place. I don't even think it took him a matter of seconds. The hours it took for him to get out was probably waiting for the watch to change."

The warden stared at her incredulously. "We let no rocks in with him. We took all pouches off his person and searched all his pockets."

"Yes, but did you look in his hems? Rocks are small, they can hide inside clothes and not be noticed."

The warden simply mouthed at her, disbelieving.

"I shall take that as a no. We're leaving this rat warren. It's clear you can't keep someone as dangerous as this – man – here. We shall simply take him with us to Yanjing." The three walked away, with a smirking Reolin following them on a rope. The warden simply stared at them in wonder.

*~*~*

That is my newest masterpiece, thought up at spur of the moment, It basically wrote itself. I hope people come and review! I'm in review withdrawal =(

I'll give a sneak preview of the next chapter (when I think of it) to the 30th reviewer!


	10. Magic Troubles

Chapter 9 – Magic Troubles

Soooo….I'm finally working on getting chappies out again…YAY first quarter is almost over! Hopefully I'll have more time next quarter.

*~*~*

_Previously – _

""_Your cell is a piece of crap," she told the warden disdainfully. "You let him in with one piece of spelled rock, and he took down the whole place. I don't even think it took him a matter of seconds. The hours it took for him to get out was probably waiting for the watch to change."_

_The warden stared at her incredulously. "We let no rocks in with him. We took all pouches off his person and searched all his pockets."_

"_Yes, but did you look in his hems? Rocks are small, they can hide inside clothes and not be noticed."_

_The warden simply mouthed at her, disbelieving._

"_I shall take that as a no. We're leaving this rat warren. It's clear you can't keep someone as dangerous as this – man – here. We shall simply take him with us to Yanjing." The three walked away, with a smirking Reolin following them on a rope. The warden simply stared at them in wonder."_

*~*~*

It had been three weeks since they left the rat warren known as Hatar, Sotat behind. Briar had never been so relieved to leave a place, unless it was the first time he had left his old home. Evvy was just as relieved; Briar's discomfort did not sit well with her. Rosethorn didn't really care, she just wanted to get rid of the reminder of her past as soon as possible and get on with their journey. No one cared or wanted to know what Reolin thought.

Reolin had finally decided to be good and not try to escape any more, after having been brought down by plants every time he tried to escape, and Rosethorn and Briar seemed to take a sadistic pleasure in sending the thorniest plants they could after him; a few times they had been forced to treat his wounds from the plants, lest they become infected like Briar's scars and he die on them. Rosethorn wanted him to suffer as long as possible. That didn't mean they fully healed him however, the three travelers decided a little dose of pain was good for the rogue mage. His clothes were now ripped from the thorns, his robe long gone, his boots worn to tatters from trying to escape, and his hair and beard grown long and ragged. He was only allowed to bath under the strict watch of Briar, and that only because none of them wanted to travel in the presence of a rank mage.

They had reached the borders of Yanjing, and with it lush green fields of grass which were a welcome change for Briar and Rosethorn from the rocks and sand they had been immured in for more than six months. Evvy missed having rocks everywhere, but there were still enough in the soil to play with, and she had her rock alphabet.

"How much longer till we get to the capital, Rosethorn?" Evvy asked. She had been unnaturally quiet, refraining from asking 'Are we there yet?' every five minutes to Briar and Rosethorn's (and Reolin's) great relief. She was content to play with her cats and kittens, usually petting them in their traveling baskets. Now however, her cats were getting restless and there weren't enough places for them to stretch their legs around the great expanses of grass.

"About five more days of traveling," Rosethorn replied, "Then we can get rid of this useless waste of space." She jabbed Reolin in the side.

"Now, is that a nice way to talk to an old friend?" Reolin commented snidely, or tried to; he was gagged after incensing Briar to the point of almost castrating him.

"What was that, mage?" Briar asked, "You try to say something?" Reolin simply shook his head thinking, _At least when I'm in jail I won't have to put up with these _barbarians.

The camels plodded onwards, Briar and Rosethorn taking care that not too much grass got crushed in their path, until a sudden boom was heard. In the distance a plume of smoke rose, making the location of the sound known.

"What wast _that?_" Evvy asked wide-eyed. Briar simply shook his head at a loss. The only thing he had heard of or seen that could make that kind of destruction was boom dust, and he thought the secret had been lost with Enhar; the mages at Winding Circle certainly wouldn't share it. But then, he thought, hadn't Daja written to them about boom dust in Namorn? It was quite possible it had made its way over to Yanjing was well.

"Are we going to check it out, Rosethorn?" Briar questioned. He was curious to know it his suspicions were correct.

"Of course we are!" she snapped back. "We have medicines and bandages if anyone was hurt! Although who would be out here in the middle of nowhere is beyond me," she muttered under her breath.

"Maybe they are other travelers," Evvy suggested helpfully. _Finally_ something interesting! She couldn't wait to go over there and see what had caused that big explosion.

Ten minutes later they were at the site, looking upon some of the greatest wreckage they had ever seen, minus the pirates and the Lady Zenedia's house. Broken wooden planks were scattered everywhere, glass jars filled with colored powder cracked, bolts of singed cloth strewn about, and a group of people sitting off to the side, staring in disbelief at what had to have been their livelihood. Upon questioning the group, the travelers found out they weren't Traders, but peasants, going to the capital to sell the product of a year's labor.

"It took us a year, a year of hard work and careful trading to make those dyes and cloth," the leader told them agitated. "My wife took weeks to weave just one bolt of cloth, my daughter went out for days looking for just the right plants for the dyes, my son and I dyed those bolts to perfection, and now _look at it_! It's all gone to waste." He sank to his knees looking at the remains of the wagon.

"Do you have any idea of what could have caused the explosion?" Rosethorn asked in an uncharacteristically gentle voice.

"None," the girl, the leader's daughter, said tearfully. "One moment we were just leading the horses along, and the next the wagon had exploded and the horses had bolted. We can't even get anywhere fast without our horses!"

"Briar can locate your horses for you," Rosethorn offered, "And Evvy and I can take a look at your wagon to see what might have made it explode. If you don't mind?"

"No, by all means, look," the woman said with gratitude. "You are not obliged to help us, we would take all the help we can get."

"Okay then," Briar said cheerfully, clapping his hands. "It's settled, I already know where your horses are, I just need to fetch them. The only thing we need in return is for you to watch that _naliz_ over there, if it's not too much trouble?

"Not at all," the leader said hurriedly. Then added as an afterthought, "We know your names but you do not know ours. I am Yuri, that is my wife Shaile, and my son Touren and daughter Eriyanna. We are grateful for your kindness."

"No problem," Evvy replied. "We were getting bored anyway."

"_Evvy_," Rosethorn said warningly. Evvy rolled her eyes.

"Forget the last part."

*~*~*

Two hours later the group met up. Briar had walked off after the horses, and then ridden them back, tied together in a string. Being able to sense things through grass really was handy, especially when horses got hungry. Meanwhile, Rosethorn and Evvy had investigated the wreckage of the wagon, and thought they had found the source of what made it go up.

"You see how your wagon wheels are iron?" Rosethorn pointed out the wheels to the group. "We believe they may have gotten stuck up against that rock," here she pointed to a rock that was sticking out of the ground.

"Yes, it got stuck," the Touren replied puzzled, "but what's so important about that? Wagons get stuck all the time. All you do is unstick them and go on your way."

"But that is a special rock," Evvy butted in. "And when your iron wheels ground against it, it created sparks."

"And those sparks in turn ignited some of this powder," Rosethorn continued, holding up a jar filled with a black substance.

"That's just one of our dyes though," Shaile commented. "One of our best, actually."

"It is also a less potent version of an explosive powder known as boom dust," Rosethorn explained. "It must have spilled a bit on the bottom of the wagon, and maybe fallen through a crack in a floorboard, but what is important is that it was ignited by that spark. Because it is less potent, it didn't make the whole thing go up in fire like real boom dust would have, but instead created an explosion of heat, making everything explode outward. This is a one in a million chance accident." The group's eyes opened wide hearing that. "The good thing of this though, is that any damage to those bolts is superficial, the under layers are completely unharmed, and none of your jars more than cracked, you still have most of your livelihood. And Briar and I can make you a new wagon."

Upon hearing this, the group's eyes opened wider, this time in disbelief.

"How would you be able to do that?" Yuri asked the question for his family.

"Simple, we are plant mages, and wood is a type of plant," Rosethorn replied. "We can have your wagon back together in minutes."

With that, the two set to work, expanding the planks with green energy to fit together, forming notches in the wood to keep them together, forming axles for the wheels, and even a bench up front for the family to sit upon. The peasants just stared on in wonder. Even Evvy was a bit surprised, for she had never seen her mentors do this kind of work with plants, usually it was just growing them, giving a helpful push here and there, or sensing things through the plants. But this was _real_ magic. She couldn't wait to see if she would be able to do such things with rocks when she had learned more. Moving them was one thing, but reshaping them with magic was on a whole different level. Reolin simply watched on, bored. It wasn't like he had anything else to do, tied up as he was.

Finally the wagon was done, and the family tied their horses to the wagon, loading it up with their supplies once again.

"We can't thank you enough for your help," Yuri said to the group, thanking them profusely. "We hope this will suffice." He offered them a bolt of cloth dyed the most beautiful blue color any of them had seen.

"We thank you for your gratitude, and your gift," Rosethorn said in return. "Young Evvy here was in need of some new clothes anyway." Upon hearing this Evvy scowled, but it quickly went away when she looked at the bolt of cloth again. She was already in love with that color. Briar examined the cloth, and found it to be made of cotton, meaning he could weave it into clothes the same way Sandry could through his plant magic and the little bit of stitch-witch magic left in him from the earthquake.

As the sun set, the two groups parted ways, one wondering upon the kindness of strangers, and the other anticipatory of finally reaching the capital and getting rid of their unwanted burden.

*~*~*

WHOOO SECOND LONGEST CHAPPIE (gotta keep em coming ya know). This was kinda an interlude on their way to Yanjing while I think of what to do when they get there. Suggestions are welcome! I'm guessing maybe 2-4 more chapters? Cause it is coming to an end soon. Thank you to everyone who reviews I LOVE THEM! Till next time!

~Soraya


	11. The Price of Magic

GOMEN GOMEN GOMEN (Sorry Sorry Sorry) for not updating! First I got writers block, then school tried to kill me, succeeded, brought me back, and did it again. 10 straight hours of homework killed my brain (and that is seriously NOT an exaggeration....it suked). then I got writers block....AGAIN! But I finally managed to crank it out! YAY! So here is the final chapter to Teaching Magic. I hope you guys all enjoyed it!

Chapter 10 – The Price of Magic

Previously –

"_As the sun set, the two groups parted ways, one wondering upon the kindness of strangers, and the other anticipatory of finally reaching the capital and getting rid of their unwanted burden."_

*~*~*

Two days later, the entourage of mages had finally reached the capital of Yanjing. Evvy, Briar and Rosethorn had never been happier to see a city till that point. They could _finally_ get rid of that annoyance they had taken care of for the past three months, the reminder of Rosethorn's past, Reolin. His presence had become a strain on all three of them, as each of them tried not to hurt the rogue mage for the pain he had caused Rosethorn.

Their hair had become ragged, with Rosethorn's boyish cut growing out almost to her shoulders, and Briar's close crop had grown into a boy's cut just past his ears. Evvy's already shoulder blade length hair was down to her waist, but the ends were ragged and uneven. She still wore a head cloth over it, in the colors of blue and gold, but that was wearing thin as well.

Surprisingly, the clothes of Briar and Rosethorn were still in almost pristine condition, or maybe it wasn't so surprising, as Sandry had made both of their outfits. Briar's favorite overcoat still fit him, and his nice shirt and breeches were a complimentary unfaded red and navy blue. However his boots had obviously seen much traveling, for they were covered with dust, and had a weather beaten appearance. Rosethorn's light blue blouse and black breeches (there was no way she would be wearing a skirt unless it was a formal occasion) were much more practical than her earth green habit for riding a camel through the countryside, and were a sight more comfortable as well.

Evvy was dressed in the clothes Briar had made for her out of plant threads and cloth back at the peasant caravan, and while they were relatively new, they had acquired a coat of dust and grime as had the rest of them – there was no body of water to bathe in, seeing as they were in the middle of cultivated fields. She personally couldn't wait till she could get some new clothes and out of her dirty ones; Briar and Rosethorn had taken her far away from her street rat days, as Niko had done to Briar himself.

The city itself was made out of beautifully fitted stone, and Evvy's heart sang for joy when she first set eyes upon it. There was rarely any expensive wood to be seen, which made Briar and Rosethorn very happy: they hated to see any good wood go to waste simply to make an impression. The city followed a well laid out plan as well, the Emperor's palace in the middle of the city, with a ring of nobles, then merchants, then peasants spreading outward from the palace. Surrounding the city were walls built six feet thick, and ten meters tall. They would have been an imposing sight for anyone else, but Evvy was overjoyed at the prospect of being surrounded by stone once again, and reached out for the walls, submerging her magical self in the feeling of stolid stone. The cool expanse of stone surrounded her, enveloping her in the feeling only stone has – waiting for what will happen to pass, and not worrying about it at all. Any worries she had about Reolin instantly faded away, soothed by the stone's touch. As the foursome made their way along the paved streets, Reolin being dragged behind tethered by the magic of Briar's _shakkan_, they attracted some weird glances from the residents of the city who were just opening shop. The mages didn't care, however, and simply made their way towards the imposing palace in the distance ahead of them.

The weary travelers reached the palace, only to be stopped by the guards at the entrance.

"State your name and business!" The first guard commanded, stepping forward and barring the entrance to the palace.

"Rosethorn of Winding Circle, Briar Moss of Winding Circle, and Evumeimei Dingzai of Chammur," Rosethorn replied wearily.

"Who is the fourth among you. You neglected to mention his name," the guard responded, keeping his spear across the entrance.

"He is Reolin Stonecarver, rogue mage, previously of Lightsbridge University," Rosethorn said back, a little irritated, but knowing it was protocol to know everyone who entered or exited the palace.

"We cannot allow you to let that dangerous stone mage into the palace!" The guard protested, spluttering.

Rosethorn looked at him, disgusted. "We took him to Hatar, and they couldn't keep him. The next best place was here, and I know for a fact that your palace walls could stand anything _this guy_ could throw at them, especially while being bound by a _shakkan's_ magic." She crossed her arms as she finished and glared at the now cowering mage. It was never a fun experience to be at the receiving end of Rosethorn's temper.

"Fine." The guard said, straightening. "But we still require verification that you are who you say you are." Sighing, the two mages reached inside their shirts and withdrew their mage medallions hanging around their necks, holding them up for the guard's inspection. Calling a fellow guard over to him, he had the man touch their medallions with a fingertip. Each flashed with a pure silver light before fading. Out of long experience Evvy, Briar, and Rosethorn had all looked away before the flash.

"Now are you satisfied?" Rosethorn snapped. "We would like to get this – _man_," she stressed the word with disdain, "off our hands as soon as possible, and get to more enjoyable tasks."

"Very well," the guard allowed grudgingly. "But three of us will accompany you in. Halla! Verdian! You're coming with us to the Emperor's throne room!" he called back to the guard's box to the right of the entrance. A pale blonde woman emerged, followed by a very tall and buff Yanjing man, whose hair lay in the style of his people, clubbed over the top of his head.

The now seven people continued on into the palace, through winding halls comprised completely of stone. Evvy was in bliss with stone surrounding her on all four sides, something she hadn't experienced since they had left her cave in Chammur. Reolin felt the temptation to cast a spell, and even tried, but quickly realized that with his magic bound by that of the _shakkan_ and the spells of protection on the wall, that all he was doing was wasting his energy; instead he concentrated on glaring with all his might at Rosethorn's back. She glanced back just once, and gave him a disparaging look.

They finally reached the Emperor's throne room, not soon enough for Rosethorn, and were admitted after the guards had announced the traveler's names.

"What brings such prestigious mages to my humble country?" The Emperor queried. Rosethorn bowed, Briar and Evvy quickly following suit.

"We had hoped to see your wondrous miniature tree collection, my lord, and to ask you to possibly take this rogue mage off our hands. We took him to Hatar, but they were unsuited to hold a mage of his power." The Emperor pondered this, stroking his tiny black goatee. His fine silks rustled as he rose from his throne and approached the travelers to inspect Reolin.

"I have heard of this mage, and of the trouble he has caused. I believe we could indeed take him off your hands and keep him out of mischief with little trouble. There are many spells beneath this palace, that are strong enough to hold even the likes of him," the Emperor finally decided. "As for the miniature trees," here he paused, "we would be delighted to have the input of such renowned mages as yourselves on our humble collection." Both Rosethorn and Briar bowed slightly at the praise.

"We would also wish to ask," Rosethorn continued, "if there are any resident stone mages who would be willing to take on a temporary pupil? Evumeimei has an ambient magic with stones, and we as plant mages can only teach her so much."

The Emperor clapped his hands. "Certainly! We have just the stone mage here! Guards!" here he clapped his hands again, "Bring Carlin Gemshard to my throne room if you would." The guards bowed quickly and departed. To Rosethorn, Briar, and Evvy, it appeared that while he seemed jovial and kind, the Emperor was not a man to keep waiting. Most monarchs weren't.

Ten minutes later the guards reappeared, a lanky man following them, bedecked with stone jewelry of all kinds, from earrings to anklets. "You called for me, my lord?" he asked.

"Yes. Carlin, I would like you to appraise this stone mage, and if possible teach her more about her art," the Emperor instructed.

"As you wish, my lord." The man approached Evvy, probing her with his power, and feeling her own respond to his. After a few minutes of searching, he withdrew and faced the Emperor.

"She is suitable to learn my craft, my lord."

"Excellent!" the Emperor cried, clapping his hands once more. "All that remains is to find you a place to stay."

"If it pleases my lord, we would like to rent a townhouse in the city proper," Rosethorn offered. "We would not like to impose upon your hospitality too much."

"As you wish, Dedicate, it would be better for the young stone mage to be closer to Carlin anyway, as he lives in the merchant district." Here Carlin nodded. "It is settled then! I shall find you an open townhouse immediately!"

*~*~*

Just a few hours later, the mages were settled in their residence for the time being, a few blocks away from where Carlin lived, and a few minutes' walk from the palace. Finally Reolin-free, the three could finally relax completely, no longer on guard for if he tried to escape.

"I can't wait for tomorrow!" Evvy cried, bouncing up and down where she sat. "I wanna learn _real_ stone magic!"

"What I was teaching you wasn't enough, hm?" Briar commented, cracking open an eye from where he lay to look at his active pupil.

"It was fine and all, and I _love_ the stone alphabet, but I get to learn from a _real_ stone mage!" she replied, bouncing her way over to where her teacher lay sprawled on the floor.

"Fine, fine," Briar said, waving his hand leisurely in the air. "Just let me rest. It took way too long to get here."

"Fine." Evvy pouted. "But I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be an _amazing_ day."

*~*~*

And here is the end of the adventures of Evvy, Rosethorn, and Briar in Yanjing as told by Soraya. Or is it? Dun dun dun...


	12. Epilogue Jewelry Magic

WOOT! Finally to the END of this fic. Sorry it took forever to finish! BUT IT HAPPENED! I'm not one of those authors who leaves a fic hanging! (Celebrates). Ok, ON WITH THE EPILOGUE!

*~*~*

Epilogue – Jewelry Magic

Previously -

_"Just a few hours later, the mages were settled in their residence for the time being, a few blocks away from where Carlin lived, and a few minutes' walk from the palace. Finally Reolin-free, the three could finally relax completely, no longer on guard for if he tried to escape._

_"I can't wait for tomorrow!" Evvy cried, bouncing up and down where she sat. "I wanna learn __real stone magic!"_

_"What I was teaching you wasn't enough, hm?" Briar commented, cracking open an eye from where he lay to look at his active pupil._

_"It was fine and all, and I __love the stone alphabet, but I get to learn from a __real stone mage!" she replied, bouncing her way over to where her teacher lay sprawled on the floor._

_"Fine, fine," Briar said, waving his hand leisurely in the air. "Just let me rest. It took way too long to get here."_

_"Fine." Evvy pouted. "But I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be an __amazing day.""_

_*~*~*  
_

It had been three weeks since the travelers had arrived in the capital of Yanjing, and Evvy had finally gotten a real stone mage teacher. During that time, she had learned how to work through the power of the gems he gave her, and draw upon their attributes. She could now created earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and rings with different powers to help along the road.

Her amethyst earrings cast a spell of speed upon their wearer, helping them to cover more distance. The hematite pendants helped with stamina and health, keeping the wearer from becoming sick as easily and less tired. Her tigers eye bracelets were for strength, magnifying the physical strength of their wearer by threefold; the only thing the wearer had to be careful of was overuse of their strength. And her jade rings were for communication. She had created three and given one each to Rosethorn and Briar, keeping one for herself. When they focused their magic into the ring, they could speak directly to one or both of the others, without making a sound. Carlin himself had said Evvy was the most talented pupil he had ever had, and had watched as she herself came up with the idea for the hematite pendant, drawing upon its penchant for healing and strength. Evvy had truly enjoyed working under him.

Briar and Rosethorn spent each day working with the Emperor and his gardeners, discussing various shapes for miniature trees, such as which shape fit which tree best, occasionally with either of the two consulting the tree to figure out if the shape truly fit the heart of the tree. They rarely found that a shape was not matched with its correct tree, and their respect for the Emperor and his gardeners grew with each day. Briar brought along his _shakkan_ each day, as it helped him to find the hearts of the trees easier and to sense their nature.

Every night the three mages met back at their townhouse for dinner, usually supplied by a restaurant across the street from where they were residing, and catered foods from all countries, even Emelan and Namorn.

The mages were happy with where they were, and weren't planning to leave for at least another year.

*~*~*

*Insert here any background knowledge after Yanjing up till Will of the Empress* FINISHEEEDD! Sorry but I don't think there will be a sequel, after all, what would I base it on? Anyway, thank you to everybody who reviewed! They were inspiration! And just cause its complete doesn't mean don't review if you read it, cause I'm still a review addict! *Puppy dog eyes*

Soraya


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